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Literal Standard Version

Numbers 22:38

And Balaam says to Balak, "Behold, I have come to you; now, am I able to speak anything at all? The word which God sets in my mouth—it I speak."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Minister, Christian;   Prophets;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Desert, Journey of Israel through the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Midianites;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Micaiah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Vision;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ass;   Balaam;   Balak;   Kiriath-Huzoth;   Moab, Moabites;   Prophecy, Prophets;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Balak;   Midian;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Word;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Hafṭarah;   Joshua, the Samaritan Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Bil`am said to Balak, Behold, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.
King James Version
And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
Lexham English Bible
Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I came to you now. Am I really able to speak anything at all? I speak the word that God puts in my mouth."
English Standard Version
Balaam said to Balak, "Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak."
New Century Version
But Balaam answered, "I have come to you now, but I can't say just anything. I can only say what God tells me to say."
New English Translation
Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able to speak just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth."
Amplified Bible
So Balaam said to Balak, "Indeed I have come to you now, but am I able to say anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak."
New American Standard Bible
So Balaam said to Balak, "Behold, I have come to you now! Am I really able to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that only shall I speak."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Balaam made answere vnto Balak, Lo, I am come vnto thee, and can I nowe say any thing at all? the worde that God putteth in my mouth, that shal I speake.
Legacy Standard Bible
So Balaam said to Balak, "Behold, I have come now to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak."
Contemporary English Version
"I'm here now," Balaam answered. "But I will say only what God tells me to say."
Complete Jewish Bible
Bil‘am replied to Balak, "Here, I've come to you! But I have no power of my own to say anything. The word that God puts in my mouth is what I will say."
Darby Translation
And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I am come to thee; but shall I now be able at all to say anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.
Easy-to-Read Version
Balaam answered, "Well, I am here now. I came, but I might not be able to do what you asked. I can only say the words God tells me to say."
George Lamsa Translation
And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to you; have I now any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.
Good News Translation
Balaam answered, "I came, didn't I? But now, what power do I have? I can say only what God tells me to say."
Christian Standard Bible®
Balaam said to him, “Look, I have come to you, but can I say anything I want? I must speak only the message God puts in my mouth.”
Literal Translation
And Balaam said to Balak, Behold, I have come to you. Now am I able to speak anything at all? The word which God puts in my mouth, that I will speak.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Balaam answered him: Lo, I am come vnto ye But how can I saye eny thinge els, the yt God putteth in my mouth? yt I must speake
American Standard Version
And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
Bible in Basic English
Then Balaam said to Balak, Now I have come to you; but have I power to say anything? Only what God puts into my mouth may I say.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Balaam made aunswere vnto Balac, Lo, I am come vnto thee, and can I nowe say any thyng at all? The worde that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speake.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Balaam said unto Balak: 'Lo, I am come unto thee; have I now any power at all to speak any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.'
King James Version (1611)
And Balaam saide vnto Balak, Loe, I am come vnto thee: haue I now any power at all to say any thing? the worde that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speake.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to thee: shall I be able to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that I shall speak.
English Revised Version
And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to speak any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
Berean Standard Bible
"See, I have come to you," Balaam replied, "but can I say just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whom Balaam answeride, Lo! Y am present, whethir Y schal mow speke other thing than that, that God schal putte in my mouth?
Young's Literal Translation
And Balaam saith unto Balak, `Lo, I have come unto thee; now -- am I at all able to speak anything? the word which God setteth in my mouth -- it I do speak.'
Update Bible Version
And Balaam said to Balak, Look, I have come to you: do I now have any power at all to speak anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Balaam said to Balak, Lo, I have come to thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
World English Bible
Balaam said to Balak, Behold, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.
New King James Version
And Balaam said to Balak, "Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak."
New Living Translation
Balaam replied, "Look, now I have come, but I have no power to say whatever I want. I will speak only the message that God puts in my mouth."
New Life Bible
Balaam said to Balak, "See, I have come to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The Word that God puts in my mouth is what I must speak."
New Revised Standard
Balaam said to Balak, "I have come to you now, but do I have power to say just anything? The word God puts in my mouth, that is what I must say."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Balaam said unto Balak - Lo! I am come unto thee, Now, can, I, possibly, promise any-thing? The word that God shall put in my mouth, that, must I speak.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He answered him: Lo, here I am: shall I have power to speak any other thing but that which God shall put in my mouth?
Revised Standard Version
Balaam said to Balak, "Lo, I have come to you! Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak."
THE MESSAGE
Balaam said to Balak, "Well, I'm here now. But I can't tell you just anything. I can speak only words that God gives me—no others."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Balaam said to Balak, "Behold, I have come now to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak."

Contextual Overview

36And Balak hears that Balaam has come, and goes out to meet him, to a city of Moab, which [is] on the border of Arnon, which [is] in the extremity of the border; 37and Balak says to Balaam, "Did I not diligently send to you to call for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not truly able to honor you?" 38And Balaam says to Balak, "Behold, I have come to you; now, am I able to speak anything at all? The word which God sets in my mouth—it I speak."39And Balaam goes with Balak, and they come to Kirjath-Huzoth, 40and Balak sacrifices oxen and sheep, and sends [some] to Balaam and to the princes who [are] with him; 41and it comes to pass in the morning, that Balak takes Balaam and causes him to go up [to] the high places of Ba‘al, and he sees the extremity of the people from there.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

have I: Numbers 22:18, Psalms 33:10, Psalms 76:10, Proverbs 19:21, Isaiah 44:25, Isaiah 46:10, Isaiah 47:12

the word: Numbers 23:16, Numbers 23:26, Numbers 24:13, 1 Kings 22:14, 2 Chronicles 18:13

Reciprocal: Exodus 4:15 - and I Numbers 23:12 - General Numbers 23:20 - I cannot Numbers 24:12 - General Judges 7:14 - his fellow Jeremiah 1:7 - for thou shalt Acts 4:20 - we cannot

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Balaam said unto Balak, lo, I am come unto thee,.... And therefore let nothing more be said of what is past: and as for future things,

have I now any power at all to say anything? that would be agreeable to the king, and answer his purpose in sending for him, namely, to curse the people of Israel; he suggests that he had not, he was under the powerful restraint of God; he could not say what he himself was inclined to say, and what the king would have him say, and he expected he should; he could not say as some in Psalms 12:4: the word

that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak; whether agreeable to Balak's will and design or not, and whether for or against Israel: however, it being expressed in such indefinite terms might leave room for Balak to hope it might answer his expectations and wishes.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 22:38. The word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. — Here was a noble resolution, and he was certainly faithful to it: though he wished to please the king, and get wealth and honour, yet he would not displease God to realize even these bright prospects. Many who slander this poor semi-antinomian prophet, have not half his piety.


 
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